Metal clip wires are employed to attach fence wire to fence posts. Upon positioning the fence wire against the post, each clip wire has one end fastened in a coil around the fence wire on one side of the post, then is drawn tightly away from the fence wire around the post, and the other end of the clip wire is coiled around the fence wire on the other side of the post. A tool such as a special pliers is used to coil the clip wire on both sides of the post to secure the clip wire in place.
An improved tool for fastening a clip wire to a fence wire is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,154 of Roberson (1990). The Roberson tool is a semi-flat tool having a slot to fit over a fence wire. Near the slot are a large number or holes positioned across the width of the tool. An end of a clip wire is inserted into an appropriate hole and the slot is positioned onto the fence wire. The gripping position on the Roberson tool is fixed by the position of the end of the clip wire relative to the position of the fence wire. Rotation of the tool coils the clip wire around the fence wire securing the fence wire to the fence post. The Roberson tool can also be used to tighten sagging metal wire, splice metal wire, removing old wire clips from posts and the general handling of metal wire.
A recent patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,954 of Franssen (1994) is directed to a method for forming wire eyes. The tool used has a handle and a shaft. The shaft has a tubular opening at the end extending into shaft a selected distance corresponding to the length of wire needed to form an-initial bend in the wire. The end of the wire is inserted into the tubular opening and generally formed into a circular eye in two separate bending steps. A side opening is provided in the shaft adjacent the end to form a final bend in the wire to the wire eye which may be forcefully closed by a pliers or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,732 of Wilkens (1978) discloses a unitary multi-purpose tool that cuts, strips and twists together wires for example in preparation for the installation of insulating cap-type twist on wire connectors. The Wilkens tool consists of a handle and a coaxial head. A plurality of blind holes in the end of the head are adapted to insertion of the bared ends of two or more electrical conductors. A twist of the handle, while holding the unbared portion of the wires from turning, causes the bared ends to twist around each other into a helical bundle. Again, the tool is a special purpose tool without the remotest suggestion that it be used in the construction of wire fences.